The monitoring and controlling of devices located remotely from a central location has historically provided many challenges. The ability to detect a condition at a remotely located position or to exercise control over a system (such as turning a device off and on) from a central location has oftentimes been limited by the distance of the central control location from the device that is monitored or controlled. For example, monitoring and controlling devices within a manufacturing facility or a power plant may be accomplished by hardwiring the sensors and controllers with monitors and controllers in the central control room that may be only a few hundred feet away. However, hardwired monitoring and controlling of devices in areas wherein the remotely located sensors and controllers are positioned miles away from the central control area instead of feet becomes impractical due to the inability to communicate electrical control signals between the central control room and the remotely located sensor or controller.